Bounty cheesecake balls

Ingredients

250g block of full fat cream cheese- do not use light as it is softer and might not work as well

1 cup of shredded or desiccated coconut

1 tsp vanilla extract

¼ cup of cacao powder

6 medjool dates, pitted.

Method

Put everything in a food processor and blend until smooth. If you do not have a food processor just soften the cream cheese and finely chop everything and mix by hand- then put in the fridge to firm up before you roll them. Then roll into balls, you will get about 20. You can leave like they are, or you can dip in chocolate. I melted 100g dark chocolate, mix until there are no lumps and is nice and smooth. Quickly dip your balls in and put on a lined tray. Whack in the fridge.

You could also melt the chocolate and put in a small zip lock bag, snip a little bit of the corner and drizzle chocolate over each one.

Prawn Singapore noodles

Serves 4

Ingredients

500g raw prawns- you can also use chopped chicken thighs but will take longer to cook

1 broccoli and ½ cauliflower cut into small florets

2 bunches of asparagus, woody ends cut off and cut in half

2 zucchinis, sliced

4 cloves of garlic

2-3 tsp curry powder

¼ cup of tamari (60 ml or 3 tbsp)

200g pack of brown vermicelli, noodles, prepare according to the directions. You can use any noodle you like here. If you want grain free you can use bean thread noodles or slim noodles (made from konjac otherwise known as shirataki noodles) you can use cabbage noodles (shredded cabbage) or vegetable noodles made with a spirooli or your vege peeler.

Method

Stir-fry your veg in a large pan or wok in plenty of oil, I have used a mix of butter and olive oil. When cooked add curry powder and the tamari. Toss through and set aside. In another pan (or take your veg out chuck in a bowl and use the same pan) heat some more oil and stir-fry your prawns and garlic, this only takes about 1-2 minutes. Serve you veg and prawns on top of your noodles or you can mix everything together in your pan/wok.

Jaffa bars/balls

Ingredients

2 cups of nuts/seeds

6 medjool dates, pitted

3 tbsp cacao powder

Zest of 2 oranges

40ml orange juice

Method

Blitz up until it comes together as a ball. You can then either press into a lined 20x 20 cm tin and cut into bars or roll into balls.

Homemade chocolate

Ingredients

150g cacao butter, chopped small

**50g cacao paste- if you do not have cacao paste you can sub the same amount of cacao butter and 2-4 tbsp cacao powder depending on how dark you like your chocolate

1 tsp vanilla extract

1-3 tbsp honey or maple, don’t use coconut sugar it won’t dissolve very well. Taste after adding some of the sweetener and add more to taste.

About 1/8 tsp salt, maybe a little more, just taste it. Adding salt really brings out the flavour of your chocolate, trust me!

Method

Get a tray lined with baking paper ready. Sprinkle over whatever you want to use in your chocolate. I have used chopped almonds, shredded coconut and dried cranberries, you can use any nuts and seeds or dried fruit.

In a glass bowl over a pot of simmering water (don’t let the water touch the bottom of the bowl) put in your cacao butter and paste (if using) Let it simmer for 1-3 minutes stirring, until most of the chocolate is melted, Take off the heat and keep stirring until it is all melted. Then put in your vanilla, sweetener and salt (and cacao power if using). Stir until combined and then pour over your almonds/coconut/cranberries. Put in the fridge to set and then you can break apart. Do not let the chocolate get too hot, or it might separate.

**Raw Cacao Paste (also called Cacao Liquor) is made by crushing raw cacao beans into a liquid. This liquid quickly solidifies at room temperature and the result is Cacao Paste. Because no heat is used in this process, Cacao Paste retains its natural properties. If you are looking for true dark chocolate, this is it. Not 80% or 90%, but 100% pure organic cacao. No additives, sweeteners or anything else.

Slow cooked Thai beef red curry

I am loving my curries lately, have been making them every week! and whats not to like? all the amazing herbs and spices, the flavor...so yummy!
I made extra rice to make fried rice for another meal and also made some vanilla and honey rice pudding


serve 4-6
Ingredients


1.5 tsp coriander seeds/ 1 tsp cumin seeds, dry fry in a pan to toast
1.5 tbsp ginger or galangal
1 tbsp fresh turmeric
4-5 cloves of garlic
¼ tsp white pepper
5 lime leaves or the zest of one lime, you can get lime leaves in the herb section at the supermarket
1 stem lemongrass, white part only, you can get this in the herb section at the supermarket
1-2 tsp shrimp paste, dry toasted a little in a pan until fragrant
1 red capsicum, if you do chilli you can use some red chilli in there too. You can also use green or yellow capsicum.

Method
Blend up everything to make a smooth paste. Add a little oil if you need to.
To a slow cooker add 600-800g chunky dice beef suitable for slow cooking, such as gravy beef or chuck. Add 1 x 270ml can coconut cream and 1 cup of water or broth. Add ½ pack of Thai basil leaves (you can get these in the herb section at the supermarket) Put on low for the day. When ready to serve balance the flavours by adding some fish sauce, some palm or coconut sugar and a squeeze of lime or lemon juice.
For the garnish in a small pot put some oil in the bottom, when hot throw in the rest of your Thai basil leaves and some sliced chilli. They will sizzle. After a few seconds take out and set aside, your basil will be crispy. Then put in some finely sliced strips of chilli and ginger and fry them off also.

Raspberry & Coconut Bliss Balls

Makes 18 approx

Ingredients

2 cups of shredded or desiccated coconut

½ cup of pumpkin seeds, you can use other seeds or nuts if you want

½ cup of raspberries, I have used frozen-you can use other berries

5 medjool dates, pitted

Method

Blend up in a food processor or similar, it should come together, add a few drops of water if needed. Roll into balls. 

Nutella Bliss Balls

Ingredients

1 cup of hazelnuts

½ cup of macadamia nuts

½ cup of pumpkin seeds

6 medjool dates, pitted

2 tbsp cacao powder

2 tbsp water approx.

Method

Chuck in everything, except the water in a food processor or similar but more expensive appliance and blitz until fine. Add 1 tbsp of water at a time until it comes together and forms a big ol ball of brown stuff. Then roll into balls, big balls, small balls, it doesn’t really matter, you could press into a tin and put in the fridge to firm up and cut into squares but that sounds like too much work to me. Hey you could just make one giant ball and keep it in the fridge and take a bite every time you open the fridge door. You did not hear that from me though ;)